Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse, a classic French fish stew from Marseilles of Mediterranean Provence region is one of our hot favorites since the day one I made it. We are very much seafood lover and whenever we crave for a hearty stew, Bouillabaisse doesn't get much more delicious. I don't know much about French cuisine. I adapted some of French and other cuisines by watching cooking shows on tv, borrowed cook book from library and so many of them I tried for first time was a hit. Bouillabaisse was one of them. It's pretty easy but little time consuming to make from scratch. Weekend happen to be a great day to prepare fish stock with fresh fish bones, shrimp shells. I make a big batch to savor for a couple of days to use it different recipes. It's so worth it. 

Bouillabaisse used to be basically poor man's food with the leftover catch of the day fishermen got from the Mediterranean sea. This is mostly prepared with fish but some shell fish can be added. Cooking method and ingredients are similar to Choppino, a San Francisco's famous stew created by Italian fishermen yet Choppino is full of shell fish; but Bouillabaisse is made with fin fish mostly and it uses saffron. Bouillabaisse is best served with rouille(kind of a garlic spread)topped toasty baguette. The veggie puree mixed with the fish stock tastes so heavenly. It's fine to serve just any type of crusty bread without rouille. 

I use fresh skin on fish fillets, such as snapper, trout, cod, shrimp and sometimes either mussels or clams. It tastes great to use any fish of your choice. I gently sear fish pieces and add them when broth is done yet fish get just cooked through not over cooked ;or poach in the broth. Sometimes I make the stew base a couple of days before, heat it up to the right temperature and seared fish is added to the broth. If not from the scratch, I would use store bought clam juice instead of chicken stock. Rest is done with the same process. It will still have full of seafood flavor and delicious. 

Rouille is prepared with raw garlic, egg yolk, saffron, boiled potato or bread crumbs, fish broth and olive oil traditionally by hand grinding with a mortar and pestle. I tweaked Rouille with slightly cooked garlic as I am not a fan of raw garlic and I use blender. 

Traditionally Bouillabaisse is served by gathering all the cooked fish in a large platter and broth in a separate soup pot. But serving in an individual bowl with fish and broth together works better for me. Here is my take on Bouillabaisse( Boo yaa bess). 

Ingredients~

For the fish stock~

For the fish stock~

1 lb. fish bones with head and shrimp shell

1 lb fish fillets, cut into small pieces

1/3 lb. devained and peeled head on shrimp

8 peppercorn, slightly crushed 

2 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of parsley

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp salt

5 cups of water

For the stew~

1 lb mixed fish fillets

1/2 lb head on shrimp

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup chopped tomatoes 

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 fat pinch of saffron 

1/2 cup white wine

1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1-2 sprigs of parsley 

2-3 lemon slices

1/8 tsp turmeric for nice color

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Rouille/ Garlic sauce~

10 fat slightly cooked garlic cloves

2 heaping tbsp mashed potato 

A few saffron strands

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 

4-5 tbsp fish broth

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt as needed

Method~

To make the stock, place all everything in a large pan. Bring it to the boil, then simmer over low medium heat for about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer and set aside.

To make the stew base, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a pan. Add all the veggies including herbs, garlic and saute for 5 minutes with turmeric, salt and pepper. Add in wine. Bring it to the boil and reduce by half. Pour fish stock, whole garlic cloves, lemon slices and saffron threads. Bring to the boil again and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard lemon slices from the broth. Take out whole garlic for rouille then simmer for 15 minutes further until veggies are softened. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the broth. 

Now, lightly sear both side of the fish pieces then add it to the broth. Residual heat will finish cooking the fish; or poach fish pieces for 2-3 minutes in the simmering broth. Add hot water if stew is too thick. Have a taste test and adjust seasonings. 

For the rouille, place everything in the blender or food processor and blend to a smooth spread. Add more fish broth as required. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley. Enjoy hearty fish stew as is or serve  with rouille spread toasted bread or plain toasted bread.This recipe serves 4-5. 

Happy Cooking!